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Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Vol. 16 No. 26 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages
Events around town
Scenes from recent events and gatherings in the Braselton-Hoschton
area
PAGE 7A
Local students honored
Numerous local students have been honored at their
respective colleges for academic awards and degrees
PAGE 6A
Elections
Wittry announces for
District 3 BOC seat
Steve Wittry has declared
his intention to run in 2024
for the District 3 seat on the
Jackson County Board of
Commissioners. The po
sition is currently held by
Chad Bingham who has
announced plans to seek the
chairman's seat in 2024.
Wittry moved to Jackson
County in 2012 and has
been involved in a number
of local organizations, includ
ing Jefferson Rotary. Pied
mont CASA Board of Directors, Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. United Way
Grant Application Panelist, Legacy Youth Mentor, Jackson
See Wittry, page 3A
Steve Wittry
Braselton
Tentative Braselton
budget projects 15%
spending increase,
20% more in revenue
The Town of Braselton is proposing a 15% increase in
spending for FY2024 with an expected 20% bump in reve
nue, according to preliminary budget figures.
The Braselton Town Council will hold a Thursday, June
8,4 p.m. public hearing to take comments over the proposed
budget. The council is expected to vote on the budget during a
June 28,5 p.m., called meeting.
The tentative budget calls for $7.1 million in spending and a
projected $10.55 million in revenue. The town projects a bal
ance of $3.45 million to go toward debt service and reserves.
GENERAL FUND
Some of the general fund’s biggest revenue increases will
come in sales tax collected from Jackson, Hall and Barrow
counties. Jackson County is up 62% ($823,372 increase),
See Budget, page 10A
INSIDE
News... 1A-3A, 10A
Opinion... 4A
Public safety... 5A
School 6A
Social 7A
Obituaries... 9A
State news round-up Classifieds ... 11A
PAGE 3A
MAILING LABEL
BRAG IN BRASELTON
Some of the first Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) cyclists roll into Braselton Tuesday
(June 6) morning. Approximately 1,200 cyclists are expected in town for a two-night stay
(June 6-7). The cyclists will depart Thursday (June 8).
Hoschton
New Hoschton City Hall nearing completion
Photo by Ben Munro
City leaders hope to move into Hoschton’s new $1.7 million city hall
complex, which includes three units, on June 16.
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Hoschton’s new city
hall on City Square will
soon be move-in ready.
City leaders project
a June 16 moving date
and expect to fully op
erate in the $1.7 million,
8,695-square-foot facility
by June 19.
An August transition
was initially projected,
but City Manager Jenni
fer Kidd-Harrison said
that timeframe was a
worst-case scenario.
“If it happened quick
er, great. If it didn’t, our
hopes were not going to
be up,” Kidd-Harrison
said.
Speaking last Friday
(June 2), Kidd-Harrison
said crews were at work
on some final “tidbits.”
including fishing touches
on paint. She said crews
still need to clean the
building due to dust and
polish the floors. Toilets
and sinks were not yet de
livered, but installation is
expected by Friday (June
9).
Kidd-Harrison, a city
employee for over a de
cade, said she’s “beyond
excited” about the new
building. She’s particu
larly looking forward to
the building’s commu
nity center, which will
hold city council meet
ings. The room can fit
200 people instead of 50,
the capacity of the city’s
current space, which cre
ated cramped quarters for
some meetings.
“I feel like it gives the
citizens a better oppor
tunity to come in and be
comfortable in the larger
setting.” Kidd-Harrison
said.
She also noted better
technology at the com
munity center, which will
allow for recording all
meetings.
As for the administra
tive side of the building,
Kidd-Harrison praised
the building’s more ef
ficient layout and larger
See Building, page 10A
South Hall
HJ Co. planners recommend approval of South Hall wedding venue
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Hall County planners
gave their OK for a proposed
wedding and event venue in
South Hall on Tanners Mill
Rd. They, however, said no
to a variance related to am
plified outdoor music.
The Hall County Plan
ning Commission voted
3-0 on Monday (June 5) to
recommend approval, with
several conditions, of a re
quest from applicant Paden
Dunagan for an agri-enter
tainment venue.
Dunagan seeks to devel
op the venue on 37 acres at
3263 Tanners Mill Rd. near
the intersection with Weav
er Rd. Dunagan also seeks
a variance to permit outside
amplification of “voice,
music and/or instruments”
before and after wedding
ceremonies. The planning
board voted 3-0 to recom
mend denial of that request.
The property is zoned ag
ricultural residential, which
allows agri-entertainment
use subject to county com
mission approval. The use
See Venue, page 10A
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